Mass-manufactured electronic devices, as well as other devices, often incorporate mechanical means for user input such as push-buttons, dials, switches, and the like. Designers are often faced with the task of providing inputs that meet requirements or guidelines related to factors such as tactile response, functionality and cost. Due to inherent variability in the process of manufacturing devices assembled out of a number of different components, it may be difficult to provide a push-button design that reliably provides a desired tactile behaviour, avoids binding, and can be manufactured and installed with sufficient ease and within cost parameters.
A number of prior art push-button designs are available, each offering a different set of characteristics in terms of such factors as visual appeal, functionality, tactile behaviour, robustsness to manufacturing variability, cost, footprint, space, ease of installation, serviceability, resistance to binding, and the like. However, a number of scenarios remain in which it would be desirable to provide a push-button, but for which no available push-button design is adequate.
Therefore there is a need for a new push-button that overcomes one or more limitations of the prior art.
It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.